Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

What they're proposing is essentially the same system they have in the Championship, where 3rd to 6th play-off for the last promotional place. The payoff with the Champions League is the increased TV time and revenues. With other teams knocking on the door of the top 4 but not having the clout to break into it on a more permanent basis, it could be a good strategy but it does de-value the slot somewhat. Unless the FA changes the entry system for the Champions League so 4th goes into the first qualifying stage instead of the 2nd qualifying stage before hitting the proper last 32.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

There is no prize in other sports for coming 4th and we will be sending the top 4, as the Championship send their top 3 clubs up every season.

---------- Post added at 14:32 ---------- Previous post was at 14:29 ----------

I don't think it does, the Dutch de valued their position amongst Europe's elite but that's because they didn't have enough teams with quality to make play offs work, our league does, the likes of Villa, Everton, Man C, Spuds etc wouldn't look out of place in the Champions league, well maybe Spurs would....

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

The Championship don't send the top 3. It's hard to argue the three promoted teams are the best 3 teams if one of them came way under another team but won the playoff. It's actually hard to compare because the final league table in the first division tends to be closer than the final table in the Premiership. With no more than a few points between the teams in the playoff places compared to the 19 point range the proposed playoff places covered. If 3 Championship sides played with a winning consistency yet one missed out on Promotion because of one game then we might see more questioning and disquiet about the system.

If no other sport awards fourth places then I think it is better to remove the Champions League place altogether. I really think it's hard to suggest we would be sending the best four teams in England because there is a chance we will not. You can't say the 4th best team is the winner of a playoff.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

They do send their top 3 teams as they are the ones that win promotion based on the rules of that league and that is how the final Champions League place will be allocated to. Oh and Ipswich and Bolton both went into the Championship play offs 9 or 10 points ahead of their nearest rivals in recent years with no hint of disquiet.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

Vieira is back in the Premier League and doing what he does best...

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Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

Legend! :d

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,195...956073,00.html

Will hopefully be at least a 3 match ban.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

You have to wonder what on earth possessed him to do that though. Was he just angry at something? Did he feel frustrated at the difficulty of the English game?

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

Is he just a dirty player???? :)

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

I expect playing against Stoke brings out the dirtiness in a lot players. In fact sometimes it seems integral to succeed against them.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

Not really dirty as much as it was an attack.

---------- Post added at 21:45 ---------- Previous post was at 20:07 ----------

:shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked:



:shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked:

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

What he just played the balls....

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

The more you watch it the better it gets...:angel:

Sore blue gonads in the morning!!!

Did anyone else think the refereeing in most of the Champions League games was of a very poor standard!
Most of these guys are going to the world cup as well :rolleyes:

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

The ref in the Arsenal game was ok. I think he shouldn't have been so active in placing the ball at the feet of Porto while Fabanski was still protesting, the ref should also be out of the area of play during a free-kick. Not blocking the keepers view and one of the defenders. Does seem to be within the rules though and it was good to see him listen to Wenger's rant rather than hide away or send him to the stands.

Re: Football : Season 2009/2010
 

Well this player certainly saw red ;)